Sunderland memorial to miners' strike unveiled

The artwork is above the entrance to Sunderland Council's main chamber

A memorial to mark 25 years since the end of the national miners' strike has been unveiled in Sunderland.

The 9ft (3m) long glass artwork was unveiled at the city's civic centre by Dave Hopper, general secretary of the Durham Miners' Association.

York-based artist Dan Savage said he had worked closely with some of those involved in the strike, and had drawn on their "eloquence and passion".

The bitter dispute began in March 1984 and lasted for 12 months.

The 330lb (150kg) panel, one of the largest pieces of printed and toughened glass in Europe, was installed above the entrance to the main council chamber.

Mr Hopper, who was a branch secretary for the National Union of Miners' (NUM) at Sunderland's Wearmouth Colliery when the strike began, said: "Everyone in Sunderland should be very proud of this memorial.

"It is a fitting tribute to working people which I am sure will be visited for many, many years to come."

The dispute pitted the NUMineworkers, led by Arthur Scargill, against Margaret Thatcher's Conservative government.

The strike sparked confrontations between miners and the police

Clashes between miners and police over pit closures began in Yorkshire but quickly spread around the country.

By the end of the stoppage, 20,000 people - miners and police officers - had been injured.

Florence Anderson, Sunderland Council's deputy leader, helped man picket lines outside Eppleton Colliery and was chair of the Eppleton Area Miners' Wives Support Group during the strike.

She said: "This is a memorial to the strike, not just the industry and its heritage, but to a heroic struggle and the strength of feeling at the time.

"Times were very hard during the strike and thousands of families up and down the country endured a year of hardship. We are remembering all of this with the memorial."

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